Welcome to Music Podcast - Episode 2 - Songs of Love, Peace and Healing for a Hopeful World
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Hello everyone and it’s so nice to have you here at the Welcome to Music podcast for music/arts & classroom educators in Early Childhood and Primary/Elementary Schools, Music Therapists, Studio Music teachers, parents and anyone who uses music with kids to support their well-being and development from zero to 12 years.
Here is Episode 2 – Music for love, peace and healing for a hopeful world – Part 1
Hello everyone and it’s so nice to have you here at the Welcome to Music Podcast, Episode 2. We had a few teething problems with the podcast initially and had to wait a few weeks to get accepted on the Spotify and Apple Music platforms. I truly had no idea how much there was to do to get one of these off the ground – and I want to say a huge thank you to Katrina Proctor (our Chief Admin Officer) and Jenn Thiessen who both hail from Colorada in the USA for all of their help with this. It’s also been a bit of a challenging time for me as I recently had a bronchial flu with an incessant cough that lasted about 4 weeks. I’m just now getting my voice back.
Because of everything that’s currently happening in the world around us in October, 2023 with wars between Russia and the Ukraine, Israel and Gaza and conflict in other parts of the world – I wanted to take the opportunity to share 7 songs about love, peace and healing broken into 2 parts. Recent weeks and months have been so devastating and many of us have felt completely helpless. I hope that these songs can bring some small comfort to you and your children during these difficult times.
All the songs can be accessed through a multi-modal and multi-sensory approach to make the learning stick and give children of all ages an inclusive, successful and heart-felt experience.
They include techniques such as echo, ostinato parts (repeated patterns), call and response, rounds and verses sung against choruses to help create instant harmony.
There are easy parts to remember to help scaffold the learning from simple to complex.
Some songs include improvisation which give kids the opportunity for self-expression, exploration and discovery in a safe space.
These songs also include various media such as singing, body percussion, movement and dance and instruments such as Boomwhackers, xylophones, glockenspiels, recorders and ukuleles. Children are highly motivated and engaged through these different activities which provide more interest, successful and enriching experiences.
Most importantly, I hope that these songs can give you and your kiddos an opportunity to discuss and express what’s happening in the world in a way that can provide some beauty, tranquility and peace in their lives.
1. SALAAM
For our first song, I have chosen ‘Salaam’ – which means peace in Arabic. Written in 1997 by Mosh Ben Ari and recorded by the band Sheva, the song has been a large chart hit in Israel and has come to symbolise a call for peace and end to the struggle in the Arab-Israeli conflict. ‘Salaam’ has harmonies throughout as well as being a 2-part round – verse against chorus with percussion arrangement and simple ukulele accompaniment. The song typically begins slowly and, as it repeats, gradually increases in tempo and excitement.
Hebrew words - transliteration
Verse
Od yavo' shalom aleinu
Od yavo' shalom aleinu
Od yavo' shalom aleinu
Ve’al kulam (x2)
Chorus
Salaam (Salaam)
Aleinu ve’al kol haolam,
Salaam, Salaam (x2)
Translation
Verse
Peace will come upon us
Peace will come upon us
Peace will come upon us
and on everyone.
Chorus
Salaam ('peace' in Arabic)
On us and on everyone
Salaam, Salaam
Activities can include:
- Say then sing the words accompanied by a body percussion ostinato
- Discuss the meaning of the words
- Move around the room showing different movements for the Verses and Choruses
- Sing in a 2 part round - Verse against the Chorus
- Sing the harmony part
- Sing then play the bass part on bass instruments
- Sing then play the harmony part on various percussion instruments
- The song typically begins slowly and, as it repeats, gradually increases in tempo and excitement.
- Arrange and perform
Ukulele Chord Chart
YouTube Link
Sheva – start at 1.26 - getting faster with middle eastern instruments, djembe and guitar
2. IMAGINE IF
This is a beautiful song about peace, love and harmony written by Susie and Phil. It can be sung in unison and up to 3 parts including a 2 part round – Verse against Chorus. It includes a percussion piece that doubles as a piano accompaniment and AUSLAN signs (language of the Australian deaf community). A song about imagining the day when peace and love are the only way.
Lyrics
Verse
Imagine If, there could come a day
When peace and love was the only way.
Everyone, in the world was free.
Then they'd all come and sing with me.
Chorus
La la la la la la la la la la la.....
Bridge
Imagine, imagine, imagine, imagine....
Activities
- Echo sing the verse and chorus 4 bars at a time
- Echo sing the words of the verse and chorus with hand signs
- Accompany with AUSLAN signs
- Sing the song as a 2 part canon – verse against the chorus
- Play the Bass ostinato (follow the chord chart) on Bass Xylophone, Metallophone or Piano
- Improvise over the chord notes for C and Dm chords
- Accompany on the ukulele - Play the down strum throughout – 2 or 4 strums per bar
- Finger pick – ti ti ti ta ti ta – timr im per bar
Recorded on 'Sing, Jam & Jive'
Recorded on: Blackbelt Ukulele 3
Find this song on streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon – search for our names – Susie Davies-Splitter & Phil Splitter
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3.LO YISA GOY
‘Loy Yisa Goy’ is a beautiful song I learnt from two of my grade 5 students as part of a Jewish Music and Dance program I ran at The King David School in Melbourne some years ago. The Hebrew words come from the Bible - Isaiah 2:4. and the translation is ‘May no nation rise up in war against another nation’ – a song of peace. It is arranged by Susie and Phil with opportunities for dancing with a parachute or scarves, ukulele accompaniment, percussion ostinati (repeated parts) and 3 vocal parts with Verse against Chorus in a 2-part round. I’ve used the Acapella app to demonstrate the vocal harmonies, ukulele, percussion parts and recorder and vocal improvisation.
Activities
Dance
Section 1 – move around clockwise for 16 beats then counter clockwise for 16 beats
Section 2 – move in for 4 beats then out for 4 and repeat. Raise hands as you move in.
Dance with a parachute (or scarves) – hold parachute in a circle
Section 1 – move around clockwise for 16 beats then counter clockwise for 16 beats
Section 2 – move in for 4 beats whilst lifting the parachute (scarves) then out for 4 beats whilst lowering the parachute and repeat.
Sing – melody and harmony part together in section 2
Percussion piece
Add Bass xylophone and marimba part and glockenspiel accompaniment
Add recorder melody and Boomwhacker accompaniment
Improvise – with recorder or melodic instruments over selected chord notes
Links
It’s recorded on the album ‘Funkey Monkey’.
Recorded on: Blackbelt Ukulele 3
Watch the video on our YouTube channel:
So to recap….. I have shared 3 songs today to reflect the theme of ‘love, peace and healing’
‘Salaam’ – a Hebrew and Arabic song about peace,
‘Imagine If’ – also about peace and
‘Lo Yisa Goy’ – a Hebrew song also about peace and harmony in the world.
Join us for the next episode where I will share 4 more beautiful songs that reflect this theme.
You can find all of the links to the songs and videos in the blog at www.welcometomusicpodcast.net
We also have our last webinar for the year ‘Songs for Xmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa’ as part of our FREE Take Orff with Webinar Series – you can join up at https://welcometomusic.net/register-for-events/
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Thank you so much for being with us and I hope you have a fabulous rest of the week and weekend, and enjoy Welcome to Music!
